Deadlyโ Hong Kong Fire Claims Dozens of Lives,Hundreds โคmissing
Hong Kong – A massive fire ripped through a residential complex in Hong โKongS Tai Po โฃdistrict on Wednesday,resulting in at least 44 confirmedโฃ deaths and leaving 279 people โขmissing,according toโ firefighters. The blaze engulfed multiple towersโข within the Wang Fuk Court complex, a densely populated area โขinโฃ northern Hong Kong.
Witnesses โฃdescribed a terrifying scene, with thick black smokeโ billowing from at least five โof the eightโ residential towers and flamesโข shooting high into the sky. Loud crackling โsounds, believed โto be from burning bamboo scaffolding surrounding the buildings, added to the chaos.
Authorities haveโค classifiedโ the disaster as a Category โฃ5โ incident – the highest level ofโข emergency mobilization. While the causeโ of the fire remains under investigation, police have arrested three men on suspicion of manslaughterโ and promised further details at a press conference.
Hong kong’s Chief โExecutive John lee expressedโค his โdeep sadness and assured residents that all โคgovernment departments are providing assistance.โ “It’s heartbreaking.Weโข wonder with concern if there are people stuck inside,” said a 57-year-old local resident nearโ the scene, echoing the anxieties of many.Police confirmed that firefighters were unable to enterโ the burningโฃ buildings and could not โconfirm if โขanyone โคremained trapped.
Asโ of lateโฃ Wednesday, firefighters continued battling theโ blaze, โฃwhich showed no signs of abating, with flames โฃvisibleโ throughout the structures. Nearby residents were evacuated from โฃtwoโ buildings in a neighboring complex as a precautionary measure, according toโ the South China Morning Post.
Currently, 29 people remain โhospitalized, including seven in critical condition.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has offeredโ condolences to the โvictims and urged authorities to minimize further loss of life.
this โtragedyโข highlights the ongoing risk โof fires inโ Hong Kong,โ a city known for itsโ densely populatedโ and frequently โenough aging apartment buildings.While fire safety โmeasures โhave improved in recent decades, incidents,โ especially in older neighborhoods, โstill occur.A fire involvingโข building scaffolding in Hong Kong’s central โขbusiness โขdistrict โlast โขmonth injuredโ four people.